Meet Future Habitat Homeowner, Brianna!

December 6, 2022

By Alexa Johnson

About Brianna

Brianna is a Charlotte native currently living in West Charlotte. She was born and raised in the southside and still has many family members in the area including her parents, siblings, aunts, and uncles. Brianna has two children, ages six and seven, and a miniature schnauzer named Mini. She works in retail and is a substitute teacher once a week.

Brianna is a dreamer and a go-getter. She is legally blind but doesn’t let her disability hold her back. She dreams of one day starting her own nonprofit for kids with mental illnesses and disabilities. “There was a time when I didn’t advocate for myself,” Brianna said. She wants to help others see the possibilities for them and live up to their full potential.

Brianna and her children currently live in a rented three-bedroom home. Her neighborhood is not particularly safe, and she frequently hears gunshots. Her rent is incredibly high, causing her to live paycheck to paycheck. “Right now, I’m just making ends meet,” she said.

Brianna’s Habitat Journey

With hopes of improving her family’s situation, Brianna had been working on her credit and scouring the real estate market for an affordable home to purchase. Just as she was feeling discouraged, her cousin told her about Habitat Charlotte Region’s homebuyer program. Brianna jumped at the opportunity and applied. When she found out she was accepted to the program, she couldn’t wait to share the news with her family and friends. “This was a major accomplishment for me. Now, the sky is the limit.”

So far, Brianna’s favorite part of her homeownership journey has been meeting new people, networking, and earning her volunteering hours. She has enjoyed using her retail experience to help out in the Habitat ReStores and has loved volunteering at Habitat’s community events.

Brianna will soon get to pick the lot for her future home. “I can’t wait to have something that I own and that I can pass on to my kids,” she said. “It will be so much less stressful to not have to worry about paying so much. I’ll have more money to do more things for myself and with my family.” Brianna is also looking forward to decorating, making the space her own, and having a fenced in backyard that her son, daughter, and dog can enjoy!

December 6, 2022